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End user control configuration system with dynamic user interface

End user control configuration system with dynamic user interface description/claims

This application claims the benefit of priority to EPO application Serial No. 07425248.7 filed on Apr. 27, 2007.

1. Technical Field

This disclosure concerns a dynamically updating graphical user interface for a management system for provisioning and managing Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) Services. In particular, this disclosure relates to an end user control configuration (EUC) system with a dynamic user interface that dynamically generates graphical user interface (GUI) renderings that assist users to complete tasks required to provision or activate, and manage network services, such as IP Multimedia services.

2. Background Information

The telecommunications industry continues to face demands for more services, and rapid deployment of new services, while the complexity of the underlying technologies providing the services continues to increase. Consumers continually push for new VoIP, IP Multimedia (e.g., instant messaging, on-demand recording and play-back, application sharing, audio conferencing, and videoconferencing), and other value added services. The time to market for new IP Multimedia services depends on the systems used to implement the services, and the complexity and maturity of the technology. Reducing the time to market for new network services requires flexible development, integration and provisioning methods. Service providers require systems that allow service providers to rapidly integrate new network services, and provide end users, both residential and commercial consumers, the ability to easily activate and manage the new network services. Deploying new network services requires service providers to address connectivity, data exchange and process integration issues related to the underlying operational support systems (OSS) employed.

Consumers assess network service providers based on the number of available services, the consumers' ease of activation and use of the services. Consumers also recognize the cycle-time between a consumers request for a service and service activation as a dominant market differentiator. Correspondingly, service providers recognize consumers' ability to self-service provision network services as a critical market differentiator.

Unfortunately, the complexity of new operational support systems (OSS) deployed in support of new network services creates technical challenges for service provides desiring to hide the complexity from consumers. The evolution of OSS continues to introduce new complex technologies, in addition to life-cycle maintenance issues. The many technical challenges facing service providers include identifying operational cost reductions, reducing the time to market and time to delivery of services, while improving the consumer's experience related to activating and using services, and minimizing operational impacts resulting from the integration of new OSS with existing systems.

Service providers recognize that many of the technical challenges to providing consumers with the ability to self-provision network services require robust and dynamic user interfaces and workflow solutions. The already immense number of workflow steps required to activate and manage network services increase exponentially with the integration of each new network element, and may require users to complete some number of tasks prior to service activation. Service providers positioned to effectively respond to consumer demands for self-provisioning services require a technical solution that presents users with dynamic workflows, and facilitates integration of the unending number of network elements.

A need has long existed for a management system that hides the complexity of VoIP network services from consumers, and allows consumers to easily request, provision and manage VoIP, Services. The end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface solves the technical problem of reducing the cycle-time to self-provision network services, and assisting users to complete the tasks required to activate, and manage VoIP services.

The end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface helps to solve the difficult technical problems that service providers face to rapidly introduce new network services to consumers, and allows users to easily self-provision network services, while reducing the costs and time to integrate and manage new network platforms in support of the new services. The end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface employs three logical layers, namely, a presentation layer, a business layer and an integration layer to manage user interactions, manage business logic, and deploy and manage network services, respectively. The presentation layer manages the user authentication, user authorization and user interactions with the EUC system. The presentation layer allows the user to input and validate network configuration order information, and activate requested services. The business layer manages business process definitions and business logic execution, and service configurations and activation rules. The integration layer manages the deployment of new network element managers (new OSS), network elements (i.e., provisioned services), and application services providing network services. The three logical layers communicate using a service bus. The service bus performs message brokering and protocol switching in the course of managing communication between the various layers and external systems, which increases the adaptability and stability of each layer. The service bus facilitates orchestration of complex and simple workflows used to support intricate service configurations and near-real time provisioning processes.

The dynamic user interface helps to solve the technical challenges of flexibly provisioning a wide range of complex services, by allowing users to manage tasks related to the activation of services, or system failures, and track requests. For example, a user may use the end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface to configure (i.e., perform self-provisioning) or change the class of service or phone service profile. The network technologies involved in support of the user's request may depend on the user's location and the network topology (e.g., two different types of IP Private Branch eXchange (IP-PBX) configurations connected to the network at different locations). Although both IP-PBX configurations provide the same services, each configuration involves different provisioning rules and network elements and application services. The dynamic user interface does not depend on, and is free from constraints that might otherwise rise from, the underlying network topology, and the various network constraints associated with each configuration. The EUC system determines the service configuration requirements and user profile information, and generates appropriate workflows to activate (i.e., provision) the service. In the event the workflows identify tasks for the user to complete prior to service activation, the dynamic user interface presents a dynamically generated graphical user interface (GUI) rendering to the user that includes the tasks, and may present the user with alternative approaches to provisioning the same service.

The end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface allows a user's profile authorization to control access to resources and the level of control of services. The EUC system's user authorization may allow a user to provision a service (e.g., associate a phone line to the user) as a result of manually inputting the users name, surname or user ID, or retrieve the user's profile information from a database through a search window, or upload the user's information from an external file. The end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface may allow a user to configure, for example, IP-PBX and application services in terms of reduced numerical groups and Private/Public associated numbers, specific users and available telephone services. For example, the end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface may summarize ranges of directory numbers configurable to the IP-IBX, and allow the user to define new ranges of directory numbers configurable to the IP-PBX. A user may use the dynamic user interface to select the public numbers to enable from an entire available range reserved for a site, and define the translation rules used between public and private directory numbers to configure reduced numerical groups used for a site.

Following a user's interaction with the dynamic user interface, the business layer manages the execution of the corresponding network elements' service configurations responsible for providing the requested changes to the service (e.g., IP-PBX service). The business layer updates internal service configuration work order parameters, and if tasks require completion prior to service activation, creates a work list and delivers a GUI rendering that includes the work list to the presentation layer. The tasks may include any task requiring user interaction (e.g., system errors, user profile information, or service specific configuration parameters). When a user selects a task from the work list, the presentation layer receives a subsequent GUI rendering containing the appropriate task related data fields, rules and actions. The business layer generates dynamic GUI renderings containing work list tasks until the EUC system recognizes completion of the tasks required prior to service activation.

Other systems, methods, and features of the invention will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and be protected by the following claims.

The disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts or elements throughout the different views.

FIG. 1 illustrates an end user control configuration (EUC) system with dynamic user interface.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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